Transfer Protection is Essential for Spoke-Style Fixed Route Systems
Company Size
200-1,000
Region
- America
Country
- United States
Product
- TripSpark Streets Fixed Route Software
- Transfer Protection module
- Ranger Console
- TripSpark MyRide
- TripSpark MyBus
Tech Stack
- Cellular UDP interface
- AVL (Automatic Vehicle Location)
- MDT (Mobile Data Terminal)
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Customer Satisfaction
- Digital Expertise
- Productivity Improvements
Technology Category
- Analytics & Modeling - Real Time Analytics
- Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems
- Networks & Connectivity - Cellular
Applicable Industries
- Cities & Municipalities
- Transportation
Applicable Functions
- Business Operation
- Logistics & Transportation
Use Cases
- Fleet Management
- Real-Time Location System (RTLS)
- Remote Asset Management
Services
- Software Design & Engineering Services
- System Integration
About The Customer
CityBus is a fixed route transit service operating in Lafayette, Indiana, serving city commuters and students from Purdue University West Lafayette campus and Ivy Tech. The service operates a 'spoke style' system with a central hub that connects riders to various urban and rural destinations. The newly constructed transfer hub allows 10 buses to meet every half hour in the downtown core, providing climate-controlled waiting and rest areas for riders. Melissa Baldwin, the CAD/AVL Supervisor at CityBus, played a crucial role in developing a solution to address their scheduling and transfer process problems. The primary goal of CityBus is to deliver exceptional service to their ridership, making transfer priority essential.
The Challenge
CityBus, a fixed route transit service in Lafayette, Indiana, faced significant challenges with their manual transfer methodology. The complexity of their interline system, where bus numbers change to align with new routes, caused confusion among riders and drivers. This confusion was exacerbated by the increasing city maintenance, making it difficult for dispatchers and drivers to manage transfer requests efficiently. On an average day, CityBus handled around 350 transfer requests for more than 485 riders, all recorded manually on paper. This manual process led to frequent miscommunications and inefficiencies, as drivers had to memorize requests and rely on radio communication to get vital transfer information. The lack of a streamlined system often resulted in drivers leaving too early or too late, affecting the on-time performance of the routes and causing dissatisfaction among riders.
The Solution
In 2009, CityBus implemented TripSpark Streets Fixed Route Software, led by Melissa Baldwin. This software enabled CityBus to schedule and dispatch vehicles more efficiently and develop an overview of operations to determine optimal routes and bus stop locations. Additionally, they added the Transfer Protection module to their system, designed to integrate seamlessly with the existing Streets solution. The new system digitized and automated the transfer process, allowing requests to be made through in-vehicle MDTs (Ranger Consoles) with touchscreen displays. Messages were sent via a cellular UDP interface, connecting buses and their drivers. The system could automatically approve transfer requests or allow dispatchers to intervene if necessary. Real-time data from AVL (Automatic Vehicle Location) was pushed to the in-vehicle consoles, enabling drivers to make informed decisions about wait times. This automation significantly reduced radio traffic and improved the accuracy of transfer information, leading to better decision-making by drivers and increased rider satisfaction.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
Case Study missing?
Start adding your own!
Register with your work email and create a new case study profile for your business.
Related Case Studies.
Case Study
Turning A Stadium Into A Smart Building
Honeywell created what it called the “intelligent system” for the National Stadium in Beijing, China, turning the venue for the opening and closing events at the 2008 Summer Olympics into a “smart building.” Designed by highly controversial artist Ai Weiwei, the “Bird’s Nest” remains one of the most impressive feats of stadium architecture in the world. The 250,000 square meter structure housed more than 100,000 athletes and spectators at a time. To accommodate such capacity, China turned to Honeywell’s EBI Integrated Building Management System to create an integrated “intelligent system” for improved building security, safety and energy efficiency.
.png)
Case Study
Smart Street Light Network (Copenhagen)
Key stakeholders are taking a comprehensive approach to rethinking smart city innovation. City leaders have collaborated through partnerships involving government, research institutions and solution providers. The Copenhagen Solutions Lab is one of the leading organizations at the forefront of this movement. By bringing together manufacturers with municipal buyers, the Copenhagen Solutions Lab has catalyzed the development and deployment of next-generation smart city innovations. Copenhagen is leveraging this unique approach to accelerate the implementation of smart city solutions. One of the primary focus areas is LED street lighting.
Case Study
Airport SCADA Systems Improve Service Levels
Modern airports are one of the busiest environments on Earth and rely on process automation equipment to ensure service operators achieve their KPIs. Increasingly airport SCADA systems are being used to control all aspects of the operation and associated facilities. This is because unplanned system downtime can cost dearly, both in terms of reduced revenues and the associated loss of customer satisfaction due to inevitable travel inconvenience and disruption.
Case Study
IoT-based Fleet Intelligence Innovation
Speed to market is precious for DRVR, a rapidly growing start-up company. With a business model dependent on reliable mobile data, managers were spending their lives trying to negotiate data roaming deals with mobile network operators in different countries. And, even then, service quality was a constant concern.
Case Study
Buoy Status Monitoring with LoRa
The Netherlands are well-known for their inland waterways, canals, sluices and of course port activities. The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure indicates that there are thousands of buoys and fixed items in and near water environments that would profit from IoT monitoring. One of the problems with buoys for example, is that they get hit by ships and the anchor cable breaks. Without connectivity, it takes quite some time to find out that something has happened with that buoy. Not to mention the costs of renting a boat to go to the buoy to fix it. Another important issue, is that there is no real-time monitoring of the buoys at this moment. Only by physically visiting the object on the water, one gains insight in its status.
